22/14. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1584b — Verified Gold and Silver Exchange
Riba (Usury, Interest)
Hadith About Gold and Silver Exchange: Abu Sa'id's Direct Witness
Sahih Muslim : 1584b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1584b
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ، قَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي لَيْثٍ إِنَّ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيَّ يَأْثُرُ هَذَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي رِوَايَةِ قُتَيْبَةَ فَذَهَبَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَنَافِعٌ مَعَهُ . وَفِي حَدِيثِ ابْنِ رُمْحٍ قَالَ نَافِعٌ فَذَهَبَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ وَاللَّيْثِيُّ حَتَّى دَخَلَ عَلَى أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّكَ تُخْبِرُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى عَنْ بَيْعِ الْوَرِقِ بِالْوَرِقِ إِلاَّ مِثْلاً بِمِثْلٍ وَعَنْ بَيْعِ الذَّهَبِ بِالذَّهَبِ إِلاَّ مِثْلاً بِمِثْلٍ . فَأَشَارَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ بِإِصْبَعَيْهِ إِلَى عَيْنَيْهِ وَأُذُنَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَبْصَرَتْ عَيْنَاىَ وَسَمِعَتْ أُذُنَاىَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " لاَ تَبِيعُوا الذَّهَبَ بِالذَّهَبِ وَلاَ تَبِيعُوا الْوَرِقَ بِالْوَرِقِ إِلاَّ مِثْلاً بِمِثْلٍ وَلاَ تُشِفُّوا بَعْضَهُ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَلاَ تَبِيعُوا شَيْئًا غَائِبًا مِنْهُ بِنَاجِزٍ إِلاَّ يَدًا بِيَدٍ " .
Nafi Narrated from:
Ibn 'Umar told him that a person of the tribe of Laith said that Abu Sa'id al-Kludri narrated it (the above-mentioned hadith) from tile Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in a narration of Qutaiba. So 'Abduliali and Nafi' went along with him, and in the hadith transmitted by Ibn Rumh (the words are) that Nafi' said: 'Abdullah (b. 'Umar) went and I along with the person belonging to Banu Laith entered (the house) of Sa'id al-Khudri, and he ('Abdullah b. Umar) said: I have been informed that you say that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade the sale of silver with silver except in case of like for like, and sale of gold for gold except in case of like for like.Abu Sa'id pointed towards this eyes and his ears with his fingers and said: My eyes saw, and my ears listened to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying: Do not sell gold for gold, and do not sell silver for silver except in case of like for like, and do not increase something of it upon something, and do not sell for ready money something, not present, but hand to hand.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1584bIn-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 94USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 10, Hadith 3846
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1584b
This Hadith about gold and silver exchange includes a careful confirmation from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri. Ibn Umar and others came to him after hearing that he narrated the rule from Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Abu Sa'id pointed to his eyes and ears and said that his eyes saw and his ears heard the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say it. The rule is that gold is not sold for gold and silver is not sold for silver except like for like. No extra amount is to be added, and something absent is not to be sold for something ready except hand to hand. This narration is powerful because it combines the ruling with a witness statement. It teaches both honest trade and careful reporting.
What we learn from this hadith
- Abu Sa'id confirmed that he directly heard and saw the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم).
- Gold for gold and silver for silver must be equal in this exchange.
- Extra increase in same-type exchange is forbidden in this text.
- The narration stresses hand-to-hand exchange when the item is not present.
